Fast Au-Ni@ZIF-8-catalyzed ammonia borane hydrolysis boosted by dramatic volcano-type synergy and plasmonic acceleration

Production of hydrogen (H2) from H2 storage materials is very attractive as a source of sustainable energy. We report that AuNi@ZIF-8 alloys are very efficient nanocatalysts for H2 evolution upon ammonia borane hydrolysis under visible-light illumination with turnover frequency 3.4 times higher than with the monometallic Ni catalyst in the dark. This improvement is attributed to dramatic volcano-type positive synergy optimized in Au0.5Ni0.5 @ZIF-8, for which ZIF-8 is by far the superior support, as well as to the localized surface plasmon resonance induced between 450 and 620 nm. Infrared spectra analysis and tandem reaction confirm the origin of the hydrogen atoms, reveal the reaction mechanism, and suggest how the cleavage of the B–H and O–H bonds proceeds in this reaction. Deuteration experiments with D2O including primary kinetic isotope effects and density functional theory calculation under both dark and visible light conditions show that activation of H2O always is the rate-determining step. [Display omitted] •Gold alloys are optimized in ZIF-8 with nickel for very efficient nanocatalysis.•Dramatic synergy between Au and Ni in ZIF-8 for H2 production catalysis.•ZIF-8 is a far superior support for nanocatalytic H2 generation by gold nanoalloys.•NiAu@ZIF-8-catalyzed NH3BH3 hydrolysis producing H2 is boosted by visible light.•NH3BH3 hydrolysis catal by NiAu@ZIF-8 with light produces 3 mol H2 in 1min45s at rt.